Published 04 September  2023

Moustaph Laïco Traoré is a man on a mission. The coach of the women’s club of AS Mandé, who have qualified for this season’s CAF Women’s Champions League, has just one goal in mind – to win.

In an exclusive interview with CAFOnline, the coach shares some of his thoughts on the competition and the growth of Mande in the last few seasons.

After the 2021 edition, AS Mandé will be taking part in their second CAF Women’s Champions League. What are your feelings about this achievement?

First of all, I’m delighted. I’m proud of my players. I’ve seen them work tirelessly, despite the injuries and some of the criticism. When you manage a group like mine, it’s easy to get results. I liked the attitude they showed in the face of adversity, because our qualification for this year’s CAF Women’s Champions League was not easy but we’re there and we’re happy to be there. I would also like to thank Boubacar Thiam, the club’s President, who did everything possible to ensure that our stay in Monrovia went smoothly.

The club has undergone several changes. In 2021, the team was in Egypt with Malian women’s football phenomenon Bassira Touré, who is now now playing in Turkey.

It’s proof that this tournament is a real springboard for young players. The media coverage is greater and their performances have improved. I’m very proud of what Bassira is doing in Turkey. With the squad we have in place, we’re back in the CAF Women’s Champions League and before that we played in the final of the Mali Cup and the championship final. It just goes to show that we’ve got a lot going for us.

AS Mandé did not take part in the last edition of the Women’s Champions League which took place in Morocco in 2022. How did you feel about this absence?

It was frustrating. During the qualifiers, we didn’t lose a single match. It came down to goal difference, and we finished second in the tournament behind Liberia’s Determine Girls. It was hard to swallow. But that’s the beauty of our sport. Today, we’re more motivated than ever and we’re not we’re not going into this competition with our backs to the wall.

What are your objectives for the CAF Women’s Champions League, Côte d’Ivoire 2023?

My objective is to reach the final of this competition and if possible, bring the cup back home. The CAF Women’s Champions League means everything to me. Winning this title would do a world of good for Malian women’s football, of which AS Mandé is the main focus. I think we’ll be able to see a decentralisation of our football, because all the country’s big clubs are in Bamako. So if we do well, we’ll be able to see teams blossoming all over the country.